Theatrical screen for combining live action and projected pictures

ABSTRACT

A theatrical screen for reflecting projected images and through which objects may pass comprises a plurality of substantially vertically extending elongated elastic strips the upper and lower ends of which strips are attached to movable guides. The guides are located within or cooperate with a guide channel and may be moved along the guide channel which extends laterally across a stage platform. Removable blocks or clamps are disposed in the upper or lower guide channels for selectively preventing movement of either the upper or lower guides. A large object such as a vehicle or the like may be moved through the screen between a pair of parted elastic strips which thereafter will return to their normal substantially vertical position.

United States Patent [191 Szigety Aug. 28, 1973 1 THEATRICAL SCREEN FORCOMBINING LIVE ACTION AND PROJECTED PICTURES [76] Inventor: PaulSzigety, 170 Winnick Ave.,-Las

Vegas, Nev.

[22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 172,189

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 41,209, May 28,1970, Pat. No.

[52] U.S. Cl 272/21, 272/10, 350/117 A [51] Int. Cl. A63j 5/02 [58]Field of Search 272/10, 22, 21;

273/105.1,185 A, 185 B; 160/166 A, 172; 350/117; 352/85, 89

[56] 3 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,377,746 6/1945 Bell160/172 X 2,523,392 9/1950 Rabinowitz et a1 .160/172 2,639,766 5 /1950Pratt 160/172 X 2,731,082 l/l956 Kiefer 160/166 A- UX REMOVABLE CLAMP ORBLOCKs 8/1962 Alvarez 160/172 X Primary Examiner-Richard C. PinkhamAssistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney-Jerry R. Seiler 57] ABSTRACTA theatrical screen for reflecting projected images and through whichobjects may pass comprises a plurality of substantially verticallyextending elongated elastic strips the upper and lower ends of whichstrips are attached. to movable guides. The guides are located withinorcooperate with a guide channel and may be moved along the guide channelwhich extends laterally across a stage platform. Removable blocks orclamps are disposed in the upper or lower guide channels for selectivelypreventing movement of either the upper or lower guides. A large objectsuch as a vehicle or the like may be moved through the screen between apair of parted elastic strips which thereafter will return to theirnormal substantially vertical position.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures REMOVABLE CLAMP OR BLOCK Patented Aug. 28,1973 3 Sheets-Sheet. :1

' Patented Aug. 28, 1973 I5 Sheets-Sheet L;

REMOVABLE (CLAMP OR BLOCK REMOVABLE CLAMP OR BLOCK\ ZZZ/? THEATRICALSCREEN FOR COMBINING LIVE ACTION AND PROJECTED PICTURES This is adivision of application Ser. No. 41,209 filed May 28, 1970 and now US.Pat. No. 3,625,510.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For many theatrical performances, it isdesirable to incorporate with image projections on a screen, liveperformers and/or real props. Unusual and sensational impressions can beobtained by using screen projections and real objects in combination.For example, an event which includes a sequence of illustrations of amoving object projected on a screen may be interrupted or concluded withthe object being projected physically appearing on the stage. Such apresentation is particularly impressionable and sensational where theprojected object appears to move directly toward the viewer and thenappears in actual form on the stage as if coming out of the screen.

Various staging devices have been attempted or suggested to provide acooperation between projected images and actors. One such method isdescribed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,084,933 in which a portion of theprojection screen is actually shifted out of the normal plane of thescreen so that live action can pass through the opening provided by theshifted section. However, the movement of the screen section disruptsthe projected image and often requires camouflaging of the shiftingscreen section or audience distraction to another portion of the screenso that screen movement will not be noticed. Obviously, such camouflageor distraction necessitates at least some inconvenience in theproduction. The requirement of a movable screen section suitable forproviding apertures large enough for a vehicle, boat or similar props topass through is obviously most inconvenient. Where the passage of thevehicle through the screen is not desired to be camouflaged but insteadis to be the center of attention, the slidable screensection asdescribed in the aforesaid patentis generally unsuitable.

More recently in U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,508, is described a screen composedof a pluralityv of vertically arranged parallel strips of stretchableresilientmaterial. The upper and lower edges .of the strips are secured'to an upper and lower frame memberrespectively. Because the strips arestretchable an actor can move from the backside of the screen to thefrontside merely distorting astrip so as to move between it and anadjacent strip. In such a manner, distortion of the screen duringprojection of a film is minimized thereby offering advantages over thescreen described in the earlier patent. However, with the latterscreenthere is essentially no way in which objects much larger than anactor can be moved through the screen without damaging it. It is to theimprovement of such a screen that the present invention is directed.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a screenthrough which both small and large objects may pass. The screencomprises a plurality of elongated elastic strips which extend from anupper frame member of a stage setting or screen frame to approximately astage platform. The upper end of each strip is secured to the framemember'while the lower end is fastened to a movable guide. The guidesare aligned along a channel which extends substantially laterally acrossthe stage platform. When desired an object may pass from the backside ofthe screen between two adjacent and parted elastic strips.

The use of such a screen is particularly effective where during aprojection sequence, it is desired to have a real object move behind thescreen to be viewed by an audience. For example, a sequence of projectedimages on the screen showing a vehicle traveling. toward the viewer mayterminate with an actual vehicle passing through the screen, giving theillusion that it has emerged from the projected image itself. Due to thecomponents and features of the screen to be more fully describedhereinafter, vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, boats, and largeanimals and the like may be passed through the screen easily withessentially little or no production inconvenience and which screenelements return to their original position following passage of theobject. Such advantages will become more evident from the followingdescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS incorporating removable clamps orblocks in the upper guide channel for preventing movement of guidestherein; and I FIG. 7 is a side view similar to FIG. 2 for an embodimentwherein strips are attached to guides at both upper and lower ends.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, thestage setting comprises a downstage platform 12 and an upstage platform13 divided by the screen 16. The screen 16 is composed of a plurality ofelastic strips 20 which extend generally from the stage platform levelto an upper frame member The upper frame member 40 may be e a portion ofa screen frame or of some part of the stage equipment.

The upper end' of each strip 12 is secured to the frame member 40 sothat it willremain fixed in that location. The ends may be tacked,stapled or similarly secured. The lower end of each strip 12 isattached-to a movable guide assembly 30. These assemblies, shown ingreater detail in FIGS. 3 5 are in a guide channel 42 which acts as atrack in which the guide assemblies 20 travel.

The guide channel 4-2 usually extends laterally across a stage and shownin FIG. 2, separates the backstage platform 13 and the frontstage frontor downstage platform 12. It will be appreciated that backstage anddownstage are merely relative terms. However, for purposes of thisexplanation, the downstage area is considered to be that which is infront of the screen 16 and in view of an audience.

The individualelastic strips 20 are positioned in the screen 16 as shownin FIG. I so that their flat sides lie in a plane generally normal tothe audience or viewers. However, it should also be appreciated that acurved or arced screen may also be used, for example, in a cinerama-typeprojection stage. With all strips 20 in a normal, most relaxed positionlengthwise edges of adjacent strips are contacting or nearly contactingalong their length to provide an essentially uniform screen. The edgesof adjacent strips may slightly overlap or even be slightly arted solong as the quality of the image produced on the screen is notsignificantly altered and the screen appears 'to be substantiallyuniform to a viewer.

In a preferred use of the invention, the screen 16 is illuminated with aprojected image from a projector. An image may be still such as by theuse of a slide projector or may incorporate a series of views insequence such as in the form of a motion picture. During projection, anobject may be passed from one side to the other side between any pair ofadjacent elastic strips 20. In FIGS. 1 and 2, an automobile 10 isillustrated passing from the backstage to the frontstage area on theplatforms l3 and 12 respectively through the screen 16 between partedadjacent elastic strips 20a and 20b.

When it is desired to move an object throughthe plane of the screen 16this is accomplished by merely advancing the object such as theautomobile 10 to the screen 16 whereupon a pair of adjacent elasticstrips 20a and 20b are parted and continue to part until the distancebetween the parted strips is sufficient to allow the object 10 to-passbetween them. This separation or parting of two adjacent strips iseasily accomplished because the strips are elastic and the lower edge ofeachstrip is laterally movable because of attachment to a movable guideassembly 30. A slight pressure ona strip, unless centered between theedges, will cause it to move to one side. Continued lateral pressurewill then cause that strip to be further displaced from its normalsubstantially vertical rest position. FIGS. 3 and llustrate adjacentstrips 20, 21 and 22 and guide assemblies 30, 31 and 32 in a normal,rest position in which the strips are edge to edge and guide assembliesare end to end as shown. Again, the guide assemblies are free to move ineither direction along the channel 42. Because of this lateral freedomof movement, separation of adjacent strips may occur at any location onthe screen. Once separation begins, force from the object moving throughthe screen 16 forces the strips on each side of the object and therespective guide asemblies to continue to be moved laterally. In otherwords, noting FIGS. 3 and 5, as an object begins to pass between stripsand 21, strip 20 and 22 and guide assemblies and 32 will be moved in onedirection while movement of strips 21 and guide assembly 31 will be inthe opposite direction. Further, because of the end to end relationshipof the guide assemblies, movement in any direction forces an end of aguide body against an adjacent guide body and thus the movement of guideassemblies along the guide channel is propagated.

A strip 20 should be attached to a guide body 26 so that at least slightand uniform tension on the elastic material is maintained when the stripis in its normal and most relaxed position, i.e., substantially verticalbetween the upper frame member 40 and the channel 42. In this position,the guide assembly 30 will be biased or forced upwardly and the rollers28 will remain in contact with the upper surface 41 of the channel 42 asshown in FIG. 4. Thus, the surface 41 acts asa track for the guideassemblies.

When a strip is displaced from the normal substantially verticalposition, the elastic is stretched further as the object continues topass through the screen. Once the object has passed and the lateralpressure on the strips is released, because of their elastic feature,they return quickly to their normal substantially vertical restposition.

As shown, a movable guide assembly 30 to which the lower end of a strip20 is attached incorporates a guide body 26 and rollers 28. It should beappreciated that various equivalent guide means may be used toaccomplish the same purpose of moving the ends of the strips 20laterally across the stage for the intended purpose. Thus, theparticular guide assemblies shown although preferred are not intended aslimiting the inventive concept.

- It has been found that a roller associated with each end of a guideassembly 30 as shown in FIG. 3 is preferred so as to keep the assemblylevel and prevent the assemblies from jamming within the channel 42.Even further, it is preferred that twosuch rollers 28 be located at eachend of the guide body 26 as shown in FIG. 5 to yield optimum performanceincluding ease of lateral movement and return of the strips to theirnormal position after an object has passed through the screen 16.However, other means to assist in movement of the guide assembly andcooperating with the guide channel may be'used instead of the rollers,for example, Teflon or other low friction runners, ball bearings, etc.For this purpose, guide channel 42 may have guide assembly contactsurface coated with a low friction material such as Teflon, i.e.:polytetrafluoroethylene or similar fluorocarbon resins.

The manner in which the lower end of a strip 20 is attached to the guidebody 26 is not particularly critical although a convenient means isshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The guide body 26 shown includes an upper rod 36and a lower body section 34. The end of the strip 20 is passed aroundthe upper rod 36 and the edge of the strip 20 is then sewn or tackedforming a seam 23. However, other equivalent means of attachment such asby stapling, etc., may be used which will also depend on the shape orform of the guide body.

The depth at which the channel 42 is located below the backstage areasurface and the frontstage area surface 12a,(FIG. 4) depends on thedimensions of the guide body 26. It is preferred that the guide body 26be essentially completely below the plane of the surfaces 12a and 13a toprevent possible damage to the guide assembly 30 while relatively largeobjects are passing through the screen 16. This is especially true wherethe shape of the relatively large object is such that a first objectportion passing through the screen would be at the stage surface wherebydamage to the guide body 26 could occur prior to suffucient separationof guide bodies. However, the channel could be elevated above the stagesurface, if a substantially uninterrupted surface is not required. Aramp could be used to protect the guide assemblies and to aid in movingthe object past the screen.

The material used for a strip 20 must be of sufficient elasticity sothat when properly attached to a guide assembly and upper frame member,adjacent strips 20a and 2012 may be easily separated without unduepressure and return to their normal vertical position quickly after theobject has pssed through. The front surface of each strip 20 may also beprovided with materials which will enhance illumination of a pictureprojected thereon, such materials being well understood by those skilledin the art. The size or width of individual strips is not critical.However, relatively thin strips approximately 3 inches wide arepreferred because of availability and good elastic properties.

In order to assist in the return of the guide assemblies and in turn theelastic strips to their normal position, springs or similar means mayalso be used. For example, springs may be placed at both ends of achannel 42 so as to assist in returning the guide assemblies to theirnormal position once an object has passed through the screen 16.However, it should also be appreciated that such spring device should beflexible or light duty so as not to unduly restrict the lateral movementof the guide assemblies which in turn could upset the ease at which thestrips could be parted and separated. Easily stretchable elastic bandsmay also be attached to adjacent guide assemblies to aid the assembliesto return to their normal adjacent and aligned position in the channel42. The guide assemblies may also be provided with aligning aids,cushion means, etc., to assist in prevention of jamming.

An alternative embodiment of the invention described is to utilizestrips having their lower ends fixed to a frame or the like, while theupper ends are attached to movable guides. Thus, an object such as arocket or similar flying object may be passed through an upper portionof the screen; If full screen versatility is desired, both upper andlower strip ends may be attached to movable guides with one set of theguides, i.e., upper or lower, held to prevent lateral strip movement atthat end. For example, a removable block or clamp at each end of a guidechannel would suffice. In that way, separation of strips at either thelower or upper screen area could be selected as desired. Thisalternative is illustrated generally in FIGS. 6 and 7, with FIG. 6indicating by way of example the use of removable blocks or clampsplaced in the upper guide channel for preventing movement of the upperguides therein. FIG. 7 also illustrates the embodiment with both upperand lower ends of strip being attached to a guide assembly 30.

It will be evident that the screen of the invention hereinabovedescribed offers a number of advantages over previously suggestedscreens. For example, where relatively large objects such as vehicles,boats or large animals are passed through the screen this may beaccomplished with ease and without the necessity of distracting anaudience to some other area of the stage. The invention is useful inproductions where a projected image gives the appearance of a largeobject moving toward the viewer, and which object then appears frombehind the screen at the desired time in the film sequence. Thus, itwill be appreciated that the ability to bring such large objects easilythrough the screen with a minimum of effort will afford highly effectivepresentations, such as for industrial and commercial stage presentationswhere large equipment or apparatus can emerge from behind the screenwith the size of the objectbeing limited essentially only by the size ofthe stage. On the other hand, the screen need not be used solely incooperation with a projected image but can be simply a screen,ornamented with paintings, designs, etc., or as a stage backdrop orbackground.

These, as well'as other advantages will be evident to those skilled inthe art for utilizing the improved screen herein described.

I claim:

1. A stage projection screen consisting of:

a. an upper and a lower guide channel extending laterally across a stageopposite one another;

b. a plurality of laterally movable guide means disposed within each ofsaid guide channels having low friction engagement therewith for traveltherealong; t

a plurality of flat surfaced and taut elastic strips normally held in arest position extendingsubstantially perpendicular between said guidemeans wherein the upper and lower strip ends are attachedto saidlaterally movable guide means dis posed in said upper and said lowerguide channels respectively, said low friction engagement between saidguide means and said guide channel being such that the ends of adjacentstrips may be substantially laterally displaced relative to one anotherin response to movement of a large object against one side of saidscreen said strips cooperating to form a projection screen wherein theflat strip surfaces are maintained in substantially the same plane; andd. means for selectively preventing movement of ei ther said pluralityof guide means disposed in said upper guide channel or said plurality ofguide means disposed in said lower guide channel. 2. The screen of claim1 wherein each of the said guide means comprises a guide body to whichis atblocks in the guide channel.

1. A stage projection screen consisting of: a. an upper and a lowerguide channel extending laterally across a stage opposite one another;b. a plurality of laterally movable guide means disposed within each ofsaid guide channels having low friction engagement therewith for traveltherealong; c. a plurality of flat surfaced and taut elastic stripsnormally held in a rest position extending substantially perpendicularbetween said guide means wherein the upper and lower strip ends areattached to said laterally movable guide means disposed in said upperand said lower guide channels respectively, said low friction engagementbetween said guide means and said guide channel being such that the endsof adjacent strips may be substantially laterally displaced relative toone another in response to movement of a large object against one sideof said screen said strips cooperating to form a projection screenwherein the flat strip surfaces are maintained in substantially the sameplane; and d. means for selectively preventing movement of either saidplurality of guide means disposed in said upper guide channel or saidplurality of guide means disposed in said lower guide channel.
 2. Thescreen of claim 1 wherein each of the said guide means comprises a guidebody to which is attached the lower end of said strip.
 3. The screen ofclaim 2 having rollers attached to said guide body and disposed withinsaid guide channel for travel therealong.
 4. The screen of claim 1wherein said guide movement preventing means comprises removable clampsor blocks in the guide channel.